This invention relates to gloves, especially single-use or disposable gloves,
with at least two essentially congruent plastic sheets, one forming the outer face for the back of the hand and one forming the inner face for the palm of the hand and
with at least one absorbent outer layer applied to the outer face and/or top side of the inner face, which outer layer is provided with at least one fluid, especially sprayed and/or soaked and/or impregnated.
The term xe2x80x9cglovexe2x80x9d here is intended to encompass both gloves and mitts. Such single-use or disposable gloves are composed essentially of plastic and are employed, for example, for cleaning purposes of all types, for example, personal hygiene and washing infirm or bedridden persons.
To facilitate the work of the person performing the cleaning or washing, the absorbent outer layer, usually the top layer applied to the inner face, is already provided with at least one fluidxe2x80x94for example, either a cleaning or washing fluidxe2x80x94that is, for example, sprayed and/or soaked and/or impregnated.
Since these gloves arexe2x80x94especially by reason of their consistencyxe2x80x94in the form of single-use or disposable items, they are often provided in multi-packs, for example, ten-packs; to save space, packaging material and storage space, a lesser or greater number of these gloves are proved in a folded, rolled and/or stacked state.
There exists a risk here that the fluid with which the outer layer of the gloves is provided will over time penetrate the opening of the glovexe2x80x94an undesirable result, particularly for health reasons.
In view of the above disadvantages and inadequacies, the object of the present invention is to further develop such gloves, especially such single-use or disposable gloves, in a simple and inexpensively producible manner so as to always prevent any penetration of the fluid with which the outer layer is provided into the interior of the glove.
This objective is achieved by a glove of the type referred to at the outset in which, according to the teaching of the present invention, the plastic sheets are essentially permanently joined to one another, at least along the lateral border regions, while providing a glove opening which, opposite the finger section, is essentially sealed against the penetration of fluid, and may be exposed and/or opened when the glove is to be used.
A glove is thus created according to the invention which is provided on its outer face, preferably however only on the top of its inner face, with a suitably xe2x80x9csuperabsorbentxe2x80x9d outer layer of paper or (paper) nonwoven material. This paper layer or nonwoven layer may be kept very thin, thereby saving a considerable amount of material.
Since the absorbent outer layer usually applied to the top of the inner face is provided with at least one fluidxe2x80x94for example, a cleaning or washing fluidxe2x80x94which has been sprayed and/or soaked and/or impregnated, the opening of the glove is essentially sealed against the penetration of fluid and may be exposed and/or opened when the glove is to be used.
As a result, a glove, especially a single-use or disposable glove, is created in a manner surprising to an individual skilled in the art, which glove may be produced both simply and inexpensively, and the design of which reliably prevents any fluid contained in the outer layer of the gloves from penetrating the interior of the glove over time.
In a preferred further embodiment of the present invention, at least one strip is located along the opening of the glove or arranged in the area of the glove opening extending essentially perpendicularly to the direction in which the hand is inserted, specifically one attached along the edge of the inner face opposite the finger section (the term xe2x80x9cfinger sectionxe2x80x9d being understood to comprise the area including the thumb and four remaining fingersxe2x80x94index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger).
This strip which advantageously extends across essentially the entire width of the glove and which, for example, may be essentially either opaque or transparent, serves, among other functions, to affix the plastic sheet containing the outer facexe2x80x94either along the opening of the glove or to the plastic sheet containing the inner face in the area of the glove opening so as to ensure a durable, and especially a fluid-tight seal for the opening of the glove.
In an especially innovative further embodiment of the present glove, the plastic sheets are permanently attached to one another as well in the border regions of the opening of the glove, for example, by adhesion and/or by welding or sealing.
In one preferred embodiment, to permit access to the interior of the glove when the glove is to be used, along the glove opening or in the area of the glove opening there is provided at least one score line or tear line in the plastic sheet containing the outer face, which line extends essentially in a direction perpendicular to the hand-insertion direction and is appropriately created before the adhesive-based and/or welded and/or sealed joining of: the plastic sheet containing the outer face, the plastic sheet containing the inner face and the outer layer, which line is closer to the finger section than is the permanent and essentially fluid-impermeable joint of the plastic sheets located in the border regions of the glove opening, and along which line the glove opening is designed to be opened. Thus by opening this score line or tear line, the hand may be inserted in the direction of insertion into the interior of the glove.
In another particularly advantageous embodiment of the present invention, along the glove opening or in the area of the glove opening, there may be provided at least one score line or tear line, extending essentially perpendicularly to the hand-insertion direction, in the plastic sheet containing the outer face, in the plastic sheet containing the inner face and in the outer layer, which line is closer to the finger section than the essentially fluid-impermeable joint of the plastic sheets located permanently in the border regions of the glove opening, and which line is designed to be opened along the opening of the glove.
Because of this essentially xe2x80x9cpenetratingxe2x80x9d score line or tear line, that is one comprising all layers (=both plastic sheets and outer layer) of the glove, when the glove is to be used, access to the glove opening may be readily accomplished by detaching the section of the glove adjacent to the glove opening along the score line or tear line.
The score lines or tear lines presented above may extend practically across the entire width of the glove so as to facilitate complete access to the interior of the glove. To simplify the manipulation of the score lines or tear lines, it is recommended these be essentially linear in shape.
If there is a need to further develop the present invention in an especially innovative way, it is advisable to design the score line or tear line as a sealed region or sealed line. As an alternative or supplemental approach, the score line or tear line may also be designed as a specially hard-pressed region or specially hard-pressed line. The score line or tear line may also be achieved using knurling equipment (xe2x86x92knurled region or knurled line); and finally, another conceivable approach is to create the score line or tear line by at least one perforation process.
According to another especially innovative further embodiment of this glove, the edge of the outer face opposite the finger section may be offset from edge of the inner face opposite the finger section. This approach facilitates the especially comfortable insertion of the hand into the glove since the user of the glove may as necessary compensate for the fact that the two plastic sheets may adhere to one another by simply grasping the overlapping edge and easily pulling the two plastic sheets apart.
Unrelated to the above, or in conjunction with the above, one advantageous embodiment of the present invention locates at least one optionally reclosable closure along the glove opening or in the region of the glove opening, which closure specifically has the function of exposing and/or opening the glove opening, in practice extends essentially in a direction perpendicular to the hand-insertion direction, and specifically extends essentially across the entire width of the glove opening.
The closure is advantageously composed of plasticxe2x80x94as are the plastic sheetsxe2x80x94for example, in the form of a so-called xe2x80x9cmini-gripxe2x80x9d system in which the closure has on the inner face of the one plastic sheet at least one strip, and on the inner face of the other plastic sheet at least one grooved receiving means for the strip.
As an alternative or supplemental approach to the above, the closure may also be optionally designed as at least one adhesive tape and/or as at least one adhesive label and/or at least one adhesive flap and/or at least one tape.
In an optional embodiment of the present invention, the closure is burr-like, that is, has a Velcro-type design, thus permitting reclosability of the glove since a closure based on the principle of a Velcro-type closure may be opened and closed repeatedly, with the result that this type of closure is easily capable of undergoing repeated use.
This capability also applies to a closure based on at least one xe2x80x9cmini-gripxe2x80x9d system, as well as to a closure based on at least one adhesive tape and/or at least one adhesive label and/or at least one adhesive flap and/or at least one tape.
According to an especially advantageous further embodiment of the present invention, at least one adhesion agent may be provided extending in a direction essentially perpendicular to the hand-insertion direction in the region of the glove opening between the plastic sheet containing the outer face and the plastic sheet containing the inner face, which adhesion agent extends practically across the entire width of the glove and also functions in effect as a closure.
Recommended adhesion agents in this regard are specifically:
at least one cold-setting adhesive or cold-setting glue and/or
at least one thermosetting adhesive (so-called hot-melt-adhesive)
In another advantageous further embodiment of the present invention, the absorbent outer layer provided with at least one fluid, namely for example sprayed and/or soaked and/or impregnated, is statically chargeable, specifically electrostatically chargeable and/or magnetostatically chargeablexe2x80x94thus advantageously also rendering the glove suitable for wiping away dirt and/or dust, since due to the use of an outer layer material with high static chargeability the dirt and/or dust readily accumulates on the outer layer. This is achieved in an especially efficient manner by providing the outer layer with iron filings in powder form.
In order, for example, to reliably prevent the accumulation of pathogenic germs or the like when the present invention is used as a cosmetic glove and/or as a medical glove, the outer layer includes, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one disinfecting and/or germicidal additive, for example, in the form of a disinfectant which may be applied to the outer layer as an additive.
A significant advantage in this regard is the fact such disinfecting and/or germicidal additives may be very precisely dosed, one possible example of these to be considered being ground spices incorporated into the (paper) nonwoven material.
A useful approach is to have the absorbent outer layer include paper or a nonwoven material, as already mentioned, and to have the plastic sheet be weldable and/or sealable; the plastic sheet consists preferably of polyethylene (PE), which material provides the advantage that it may under certain circumstances be permeable to air while remaining impermeable to liquids; by contrast, polypropylene (PP) may, if certain requirements are met, be permeable to liquid but not, however, permeable to air.
According to an advantageous further embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the plastic sheets is microperforated, at least in certain regions. This thus creates a glove which is more or less breathable since the plastic sheets permit the exchange of air while not permitting any exchange of fluid; the positive result is that any possible uncomfortable sweating of the hand in the glove is precluded.
From the top view, the essentially congruent plastic sheets may be preferably of rectangular design. The plastic sheets are formed in a simple manner from a plastic web in the shape of a tube extending in a longitudinal direction, the folding edge extending in a longitudinal direction forming the top face of the glove in the region of the fingertips of the inserted hand and the two edges opposite the folding edge forming the glove opening; the gloves thus lie adjacent to one another in a transverse orientation.
The result is that there is no requirement of providing a welding seam or sealing seam in the area of the folding edge, thus simplifying production of the glove. Only along the lateral border regions, and optionally in the border regions of the glove opening, are the congruent plastic sheets appropriately permanently joined, in an essentially fluid-impermeable manner, by adhesive bonding and/or by welding and/or by sealing. However, the gloves may be formed from the plastic web while advantageously rotated at right angles, that is, oriented sequentially.
In another advantageous design replacing the essentially rectangular interior or essentially round or at least rounded interior for the hand, at least a partial region has a welded seam or sealed seam running a certain distance from the lateral border regions and/or from the folding edge to form an actual glove (with up to six receiving regions for the fingers, but also receiving regions which may accommodate two or more fingers simultaneously) or to form a mitt; this design makes the glove both more useful with a better grip and easier to manipulate.
The welded seam or sealed seam as seen from the top view may advantageously incorporate on both sides of the finger section a thumb section to accommodate the thumb. In this approach there is no need to separately produce gloves for the left hand and gloves for the right hand; rather, each glove may be worn on either the right or left hand such that the outer layer is matched to the inner face of the glove.
Another advantageous embodiment of the present invention involves adding, to the two congruent plastic sheets, at least one additional congruent plastic sheet on the side opposite the outer layer, this additional plastic sheet being joined at least to the adjacent plastic sheet by another welded or sealed seam which runs a certain distance from the welded seam or sealed seam forming a glove or forming a mitt, but essentially parallel to these.
The additional welded or sealed seam here should occupy a larger area than the first welded seam or sealed seam such that one glove each is formed between each of the two adjacent congruent plastic sheets, but of differing size. This ensures that the gloves may be used either for very large hands or very small hands without impairing comfort.
Two or more single-use or disposable gloves are preferably provided in a direction longitudinal to the plastic web, either adjacent or sequentially depending on their orientation on the plastic web, the individual gloves being easily separable along at least one straight-line perforation running perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction. By this approach, the gloves may be rolled up according to the invention in the longitudinal direction and may be individually dispensed by a dispenser.
To further develop the glove according to the present invention in an especially advantageous way, it is recommended that at least one locking closure with at least one fixation strip or closing strip extending essentially perpendicularly to the hand-insertion direction be provided. In a preferred approach, at least on fixation or closing strip is thus formed which is located in the region of the so-called xe2x80x9ccuffxe2x80x9d of the glove and by which the glove opening may be closed after the hand is inserted into the glove.
The location of the locking closure in the region of the glove opening, that is in the cuff section, has two advantages, first: there is no requirement of any additional material since the required material is already provided by the plastic sheet(s) and would otherwise become scrap, and secondly: providing the locking closure and concomitant closing function in the region of the glove opening reliably prevents the hand from sliding out of the glove since the cuff section, that is a section of the glove opening, which would otherwise tend to exhibit uncontrolled flapping, and under extreme conditions undesirable tearing, is fixable and closable by the locking closure.
In one specialized embodiment, the fixation or closing strip has two ends, in which preferably the one end is provided on the one side, and the other end is provided on the other side of the glove opening. An especially effective closing function in regard to the glove opening is achieved here if the one end is foldable against the other end and the ends are detachably fastenable to one another.
In this regard, it is advisable to design the one end as at least one receiving component having a clear opening section, and the other end as an insertion component adapted to the opening region and intended for insertion into the opening section. Advantageously, the insertion component is then foldable against the receiving component and detachably fastenable to the receiving component since the insertion component may be inserted into the receiving component containing the opening section such that it is detachably fastened to the receiving component.
The above-outlined locking and fixing principle then functions, for example, preferably for the region of the glove opening to be closed if the receiving component is provided on the one side of the glove opening and the insertion component is provided on the other side of the glove opening. This configuration reliably ensures that the insertion component is foldable against the receiving component and is detachably fastenable to the receiving component.
As an alternative or supplement to the above, the fixation or closing strip may be knottable and/or tieable and/or detachably fastenable by means of at least one adhesive spot or at least one adhesive strip or at least one tape.
According to one especially innovative further embodiment of the present invention, the outer face is provided with at least one support strip. This support strip has first of all a stabilizing function, specifically when the gloves are according to the present invention are unrolled in a longitudinal direction and individually dispensed by a dispenser; secondly, the support strip may be used as a holding device for the glove, specifically when the support strip is provided in a material-saving approach in place of the plastic sheet forming the outer face.
In the latter case, the hand of the user is inserted between support strip and the plastic sheet forming the inner face, that is, the support strip functions, as it were, as a holding strap or holding device which is pulled over the back of the hand. In connection with this approach, an especially advantageous function is ensured if two roughly parallel support strips are provided.
In one especially innovative further embodiment of the present glove, the closure and the locking closure are designed to be uniform and/or of one piece and/or of integrated form, thereby saving additional material since the material required both for the closure and for the locking closure is already provided by the plastic sheet(s) and would otherwise only become scrap.